Polyethylene Furanoate Production from Glucose

The process under analysis comprises three major sections: (1) MMF Production (2) FDCA Production; and (3) Polymerizations.

MMF production. The glucose content of the feed is first enzymatically isomerized to fructose, and the effluent is passed through ion-exchange resins to separate unreacted glucose from the fructose. The fructose is sent to the furans conversion reactor. There, crystallized fructose is solubilized with a 95 wt.% methanol and sulfuric acid. Fructose is dehydrated to HMF and, due to the excess of methanol, most HMF is converted to MMF. The reactor effluent is sent to a distillation system to recover the solvent, methyl levulinate as by-product, and purified MMF.

FDCA production. Purified MMF is mixed with acetic acid solvent and catalyst in the oxidation reactor to be converted to FDCA. This stream is filtered to recover crude FDCA. The acetic-acid-rich liquid and catalyst are both recovered before being recycled to the process. Crude FDCA is mixed with water and hydrogen in a hydrogenation reactor, where impurities are removed. The effluent from the reactor is crystallized, and purified FDCA is recovered.

Polymerizations. MEG and FDCA are mixed and passed through two agitated and jacketed reactors, in which esterification takes place generating BHEF. The BHEF monomer is fed to an agitated, jacketed reactor, where PEF oligomers are generated. Next, the PEF oligomers condensate in a rotating disc reactor. Here, higher molecular weight PEF chains are generated. MEG is recovered from gaseous effluents and recirculated. The molten PEF is turned into amorphous PEF chips, which are treated and dried before they are crystallized, to not stick together or agglomerate. The crystallized particles are then polycondensed in a long cylindrical hopper-type vessel. The bottle-grade PEF chips are cooled down, separated from dust, homogenized and packed.